Innholdsfortegnelse for August - September 2025 i DestinAsian

“ALL JOURNEYS HAVE SECRET DESTINATIONS OF WHICH THE TRAVELER IS UNAWARE.”—Martin Buber What does a once-in-a-lifetime journey look like to you? Perhaps it might involve chasing the Northern Lights in Svalbard, an East African safari to witness the annual wildebeest migration, or, for avid hikers, an adventure on the “roof of the world” to reach Everest Base Camp. DestinAsian’s editor-in-chief Christopher P. Hill did just that a few months ago, balancing his exertions in the Nepalese Himalayas with stays in comfortable lodges along the route. While a 10-day trek is not the kind of holiday I’d typically choose, I can see why it appeals to some escaping the stresses of city life. In another feature, longtime Bangkok resident Ron Gluckman shows us the changing face of the Thai capital by…

From the bedroom atop the 13th-century stone tower that crowns what is said to be Italy’s oldest hotel, I marveled at the wraparound views of the Florentine cityscape. In one direction, the great dome and bell tower of the Duomo di Firenze, seemingly close enough to touch; in another, the River Arno and the imposing bulk of the Medicis’ Pitti Palace. Alas, my own quarters downstairs weren’t quite as enviable as this three-floor tower suite, which I glimpsed just before its next lucky guests checked in. But even the most modest room at NH Collection Firenze Porta Rossa exudes the kind of character that can only be found in an establishment with centuries-old roots. Before my latest trip to Italy, I had never stayed at an NH hotel. That’s quite…

Leaves crunched underfoot as I followed the women along a forest path. Suddenly, they crouched down to pull what appeared to be a long blade of grass from the ground. To anyone else, the unassuming plant might have looked like a weed, but these experienced foragers knew better. Brushing soil from its bulbous root, they revealed white turmeric — one of the many ingredients used to make the traditional herbal tonic jamu. We’re somewhere on the grounds of the Muaro Jambi temple complex, a vast network of archeological sites in the central Sumatran province of Jambi. Dating from the 7th to 13th centuries and attributed to the ancient maritime kingdoms of Melayu and Srivijaya, it is considered Southeast Asia’s largest concentration of Buddhist temple ruins — though only a fraction…

ECLIPSE CRUISES Few natural phenomena rival the drama of a total solar eclipse — an eerie midday darkness, a glowing corona, the sudden drop in temperature, and the collective gasp of awe. On August 12, 2026, that moment will arrive again as the moon’s shadow sweeps across the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. While land-based viewing will be possible in parts of Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, and Spain, the most atmospheric — and mobile — vantage points may be found at sea. With that in mind, numerous cruise lines have devised itineraries that align with the path of the eclipse. Quark Expeditions’ Ultramarine (quarkexpeditions.com Aug. 6–18) sails from Reykjavík on a 12-night journey to eastern Greenland, complete with excursions by kayak, foot, and helicopter. The ship will position itself within the…

Midway through a plate of octopus carpaccio, I’m distracted by the growing din of dangdut music. The thumping beat sends vibrations through the upstairs dining room at Simonetta, a year-old Provençal restaurant in the heart of Kuta. Not the Kuta of Bali fame, mind you, but the one on Lombok’s south coast — a once-sleepy surf village now humming with boho restaurants and cafés, wellness centers, boutiques, and small hotels. Yet for all the contemporary buzz, glimpses of the indigenous Sasak culture are never far from view. Case in point: the wedding procession now moving through the street below, bringing traffic to a standstill. Passing tourists stop to gawk at the resplendently dressed newlyweds and their boisterous entourage; a handful join the dancing village women. But beneath this confluence of…

Waking up in southern Albania’s beautifully remote Zagoria Valley, we’re greeted by Mira Muka in the garden of her guesthouse, Bujtina Peshtan. “Breakfast is ready,” she smiles, gesturing toward a table under a towering walnut tree, where a spread of local cheeses, homemade pickles, fist-size tomatoes, and dewy slices of melon awaits. Muka proudly informs us that she makes her own raki — a strong fruit-based spirit popular across the Balkans — as well as olive oil, a staple of Albanian cooking. Everything else in her kitchen comes from her neighbors in the quiet mountainside village of Peshtan, where cows graze freely next to children playing football. Bujtina Peshtan is among a growing number of agroturizme — family-owned farms or rural guesthouses — to open in Albania, offering homey accommodation…

SECRETS OF THE SUN Originally launched as a line of all-natural botanical cosmetics, Secrets of the Sun expanded into a concept store last year, working closely with slow-fashion labels, jewelers, and local artisans. With its pastel-blue walls, potted palms, and a thatch-shaded veranda, the boutique on busy Galle Road stands as a tribute to this sun-kissed island. Inside, gold-hued racks carry everything easy, breezy, and beachy: shimmering shea butter body oils, crochet tops, honey-colored beach wraps, and batik maxi dresses (secretsofthesunshop.lk). OLIVE YU Traditional Sri Lankan craftsmanship meets modern design at this oceanfront boutique co-founded by interior architecture graduate Kate Becker. While it’s filled with resort wear, silk handlooms, and ceramics, jewelry is the main focus. Each stylish silver or gold piece — handcrafted on-site by a team of talented…

Summer gets a luxe upgrade with the unveiling of Giorgio Armani and Kith’s second collaborative collection — a limited edition lineup that combines Italian elegance with the energy of New York. Drawing inspiration from Forte Dei Marmi, Porto Cervo, the Hamptons, and Malibu, the capsule — named Estate, after the Italian word for “summer” — spans silk tailoring, Riviera-ready resort wear, and beachy accessories — think canvas and raffia totes, bandanas, and hats. Key items for men include double breasted blazers crafted from basket weave Italian silk twill, along with monogrammed silk crossover shirts and matching pants, a cupro bomber jacket, and pleated Bermuda shorts. Women’s pieces nod to the Armani archive, with silk kimonos, elevated swimwear, and breezy dresses reinterpreted for today’s wardrobe. Whether you’re packing for a Mediterranean…

Iam on the top of the world — or so it feels from a restaurant 56 stories above the streets of Bangkok, where I’m conversing with Daniel Fraser, co-founder of Southeast Asia–focused travel agency Smiling Albino. A Canadian who first arrived here three decades ago to teach English to the Thai royal family, he still marvels at how much his adopted home has changed — and continues to evolve. From our vantage point, the city’s frenetic energy is almost tangible, its skyline a thicket of high-rises. The Thai capital welcomed 32 million international tourists last year, making it the most visited city in the world. “Bangkok is going like gangbusters,” Fraser says. “It’s at the top of everyone’s travel list.” For good reason. Bangkok has long lured holiday makers with…

UZBEKISTAN For centuries, Bukhara was a magnet for scholars, poets, and mystics — a Silk Road city where ideas moved as freely as caravans laden with spices and precious textiles. That legacy of exchange is set to find new expression with the debut of the Bukhara Biennial (bukharabiennial.uz), a 10-week celebration of global art and culture opening on September 5. Titled “Recipes for Broken Hearts,” the event — commissioned by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation — will transform Bukhara’s old mosques, madrassas, and caravansaries into living galleries. Helming its first edition is American curator Diana Campbell, the founding artistic director of the Dhaka-based Samdani Art Foundation, with architectural direction from Lebanese architect Wael Al Awar. The program brings together artists from around the world for site-specific installations, performances, craft…

A small crowd of villagers has gathered to watch me set up my kayak — a hard-edged, high-tech inflatable model from France — at Bang Rong, a sleepy river port on Phuket’s east coast. Once ready, I push off, leaving the worries of the world behind and entering one where I am alone with my thoughts. Almost 13 million tourists visited Phuket last year, but I may as well be on the other side of the moon for the solitude I feel at the start of a 300-kilometer solo kayak expedition north to Ranong, a secluded port town on the Thai–Myanmar border. The river empties into Phang Nga Bay, a national marine park known for dramatic limestone karst formations that rise out of the water like giant chess pieces. But…

We were university friends looking to reunite for a long weekend. I was in my hometown of Sydney, she had moved to Seattle but had a business trip to Hong Kong—the perfect meeting point. Soon after checking into our hotel in Admiralty business district, we found ourselves among a flotilla of corporate junks on Hong Kong Island’s south side for the dragon boat races, a major annual festival. Onboard these vessels were a global assortment of bankers, lawyers, property developers, marketers and other high-fliers who made the city tick. I don’t recall much of the races, which turned into a mammoth party on water, but the camaraderie and memory of madly dancing on deck with fellow revelers as the rain came pelting down has stayed with me since. That was…

Late March ushers in the beginning of the sakura zensen, or cherry-blossom front, on Japan’s main islands. A vivid seasonal phenomenon tracked by flower junkies with the kind of manic precision normally reserved for typhoons, this wave of blossoms — surely, one of nature’s most magnificent spectacles — gradually sweeps northward across the archipelago, reaching Hokkaido by the end of April. This is one of the best times to visit Japan, not least because it offers the chance to partake in the ancient Japanese tradition of hanami, or cherryblossom viewing. However, the prospect of joining the well-documented tourist hordes that descend on the country in spring is daunting on every metric. Which is why I boarded the all-suite Seabourn Quest this past March for a leisurely 14-night cruise along the…